Dados is one of the most widely-read social sciences journals in Latin America. Created in 1966, it publishes innovative works, originating from academic research, by Brazilian and foreign authors. Edited by IESP-UERJ, it aims to reconcile scientific rigor and academic excellence with an emphasis on public debate based on the analysis of substantive issues of society and politics.
Dados vol. 46 n. 2 Rio de Janeiro 2003
Abstract
This article analyses several dimensions in the Brazilian electoral experience in the 19th century (1870-1889), based on evidence from the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro State. The study focuses on three main questions: frequency of elections, voter registration rates, and the profile of qualified voters. According to data from the Rio de Janeiro State Archives and Campos dos Goytacazes Municipal Archives, ordinary citizens voted frequently during the period studied, sometimes more than once a year. Data from the ''Voter Qualification Lists'' in the municipality were used to calculate the voter registration rates (number of registered voters divided by the population) and establish a profile of voters in the region based on age, occupation, schooling, and income. The voter profile included a large share of both illiterate and low-income voters, which nonetheless did not mean a democratization of the exercise of political power in a slave-owning society marked by heavy social exclusion and poverty.
Keywords: elections, frequency of elections, political participation, voter profile
DOI: 10.1590/S0011-52582003000200005
The electoral experience in Campos dos Goytacazes (1870-1889): frequency of elections and voter profile
Português do Brasil
Español